In a co-op title like It Takes Two that features gorgeous visuals, stellar and unique puzzles, and a heartwarming story about two parents learning to appreciate each other again, one of the more overlooked yet impressive features is how well the actors sell the performances of their roles. But which voice actors are behind the scenes, bringing these characters to life?
Cody and Dr. Hakim – Joseph Balderrama
Joseph Balderrama voices two lead characters: the father Cody and the oft antagonistic yet sometimes helpful book Dr. Hakim. He brings a delightful amount of passion to each role and more than enough range to wholly separate the voices from each other.
Balderrama is also known for several other video game roles such as Sangres from Pay Day 2, Pepe Balderrama in Lego City Undercover, Don Rodrigo in Dragon Quest XI: Echoes of an Elusive Age, Brody and Sawyer from Tom Clancy’s Ghost Recon Breakpoint, and Tio in The Crew 2.
Mo-Cap for Dr. Hakim – Josef Fares
Studio head and game designer Josef Fares did the mo-cap acting himself for Dr. Hakim. His other works include co-op prison break game A Way Out and the studio’s debut title Brothers: A Tale of Two Sons.
May – Annabelle Dowler
Annabelle Dowler lends her charming voice to protagonist and mother May. She has an impressive talent for being able to switch between logically stern and heartfelt and vulnerable.
Dowler is mainly known for her work in Suffragette as Elegant Suffragette, Walter’s Mother in Doctor Who, and Catherine of Aragon from The Six Wives of Henry VIII. She also voiced both Saheila and Amadia in Divinity: Original Sin 2.
Rose – Clare Corbett
The daughter of Cody and May, Rose is a sweet young girl who wants to see her parents together again. And despite how convincing she is at sounding like a child, Clare Corbett is definitely an adult woman. Albeit an extremely talented one who brings a lot of heart into her role, giving the game the grounded feeling needed to balance out the more fantastical elements.
Corbett also voiced tons of video game characters including Saint Astraea from Demon’s Souls, Gwynevere and Priscillia the Dragon Crossbreed in Dark Souls, Alsanna, Scholar of the First Sin in Dark Souls 2, Hildur from LittleBigPlanet 3, Marabella from The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt, Nestling in Dark Souls 3, and Floren and Electra from Xenoblade Chronicles 2.
Vacuum – Stephen Greif
Stephen Greif plays the role of the first boss, the vacuum cleaner that was misused and stuffed in a closet to be replaced by a new French one. Despite the character itself being rather ridiculous in nature, Greif lends dignity and weight to the role, making its plight all the more tragic.
Greif is an accomplished actor who was a member of the Royal Shakespeare Company and has a career in theater and television spanning decades. However, he has worked in several video game roles including Raymond Maarloeve from The Witcher, Barnum in Fable 2, the Narrator from the Puppeteer, and Krek Bluntclaw in Shadows: Awakening.
Hammerhead – Martin T. Sherman
Martin T. Sherman lends his voice to the fun and charming Hammerhead as he works with May and Cody as they help to reunite him with his friends in the toolshed. Sherman adds a great lightheartedness to the role that makes the character memorable long after you finish the chapter.
Sherman is most well known for voicing Thomas, Percy, and Diesel in the Thomas the Tank Engine series. He also voiced Alvin in Terminator: Resistance, Spider-Man in Lego Marvel Super Heroes 2, Dekamin, Muns, Shahavad from Horizon Zero Dawn, and Gustavo from LittleBigPlanet 3.
Squirrel Chief – Grahame Fox
Grahame Fox plays the Squirrel Chief and manages to convey a sense of toughness and no nonsense grit to a character that looks far too adorable to be a military commander.
Fox also was in Mission: Impossible — Fallout as the Grand Palais Bouncer and Ralf Kenning in Game of Thrones as well as having voiced in several video games such Assassin’s Creed Valhalla, World of Warcraft: Battle for Azeroth, and Eygon of Carim and Cage Madman in Dark Souls 3.
Beetle – Glenn Wrage
The Beetle that turns out to be a not-so-bad guy — just a mercenary following orders — is voiced by Glenn Wrage. His comedic yet earnest line delivery makes even a character as briefly featured as the Beetle memorable far past the end of his appearance.
Wrage mainly works in movies such as Doyle in Saving Private Ryan, Kurt in Cold Pursuit, and Louie in Blue Iguana. He also played J. Jonah Jameson in Lego Marvel Super Heroes 2, Roy Mitchell in Call of Cthulhu: The Official Video Game, Daril from Star Ocean: Anamnesis, Carl Bookhart from Ghost Recon: Wildlands, and Aelund, Connor Chasson, and Kikuk from Horizon Zero Dawn.
Wasp Queen/Bumblebee – Victoria Willing
Victoria Willing does the dual roles of the intimidating and regal Wasp Queen as well as the cowardly and shy Bumblebee. She is able to make each role completely distinct from one another, which takes plenty of talent to pull off.
While Willing is best known for her role as Mrs. Cartwright in both the movie and TV series versions of The Inbetweeners. She’s also played in various other television roles such as Terri Willits, Luana Bezerra, and Mandy Turner in Casualty, as the maid in Little Princess, and as Gwen Hubbard, Laura Griffiths, and Sally Moulding in Doctors.
Joy – Louiza Patikas
Louiza Patikas plays Joy, and her lovely sweet voice brings to life a character who would otherwise be more overlooked in a game full of charming and unique characters.
Patikas is best well known for her roles as Arlessa Isolde in both Dragon Age Origins and Dragon Age 2. She’s also played Aphrodite in Immortals Fenyx Rising, Laura, Helen Flannel, and Sarah from Fable 3, and Linada from Xenoblade Chronicles.
